The present invention relates to the field of computer software application programs, and more particularly to a method of completing a task within an application in a computer system directly from an on-line help window associated with the application.
On-line help information is typically available in most commercial computer software application programs. On-line help is a method of displaying on a computer screen (e.g., display screen 110 shown in FIG. 1) context-sensitive information or documentation related to the tasks involved in using a computer software application program. Typically the content of on-line help information provided with a computer software application program is similar to the documentation for the product found in the various printed user and/or reference manuals. However, the on-line help information may be organized differently than the printed information.
One benefit on-line help usually provides is the ability for a user to search by keyword or concept, which may allow a user to quickly find the details to complete a particular task. Once a particular on-line help entry that describes a particular task is located by the user (by one of many methods: browsing, searching, following an internal link within the on-line help system), the user may then review the information presented. After reading and/or reviewing the on-line help description, the user may then perform the operations described.
It would be desirable for the user to have the capability to complete the operations through the on-line help system in an interactive manner. A benefit of a user having such a capability is that time would be saved by the user because the user would not have to locate the correct element (e.g., pull-down menu, toolbar) within the application necessary to complete the task. The more complex the computer software application program, the more time and effort the user would need to expend to find the correct element, and the more benefit the user would derive from the ability to complete operations interactively from within the on-line help windows.
Display of the on-line help information is usually done through a graphical user interface. There are various ways of displaying the on-line help information within the graphical user interface. A table of contents and an index to the on-line help data is usually provided. Within either the table of contents or the index, links may exist to guide a user to various locations within the on-line help data that may contain additional information related to the concept currently displayed to a user.
In some on-line help graphical user interfaces, there may be a push-button (e.g., a push-button labeled xe2x80x9cShow Mexe2x80x9d) or some other icon or menu item displayed within a particular on-line help window that, when selected, moves the cursor to the area of the application that is described in the particular on-line help window. For example, within the Microsoft Word application program, the xe2x80x9cShow Mexe2x80x9d push-button associated with the xe2x80x9cchanging fontsxe2x80x9d help window, when selected, moves the cursor to the formatting toolbar, to indicate where the formatting toolbar is located. However, the function of the described xe2x80x9cShow Mexe2x80x9d push-button is informational only (i.e., the font of any text that is currently selected is not changed). In order for the font of the selected text to be changed, the user must select the Formatting toolbar, and then select a font name in the Font box.
It would be desirable for the user to be able to complete the task from within the on-line help window, to simplify and/or speed up the completion of the task.
One embodiment of the present invention comprises a computer system and method for performing a task within an application from within an on-line help information display. Thus the on-line help information displayed by the computer system may include user selectable elements which enable the user to complete portions or all of a task directly from the on-line help window, e.g., without requiring the user to search for this functionality in menus or toolbars within the application.
In one embodiment of the method, the user may launch the application and then select online help information associated with performing a task within the application. In response to this user input, the computer may display on-line help information associated with the application, e.g., the on-line help information may be displayed in a window. The displayed on-line help information may include various help information that specifies a recipe for performing the task, e.g., the information may guide the user through a series of steps to perform the task in the application. The displayed on-line help information may include one or more user selectable elements according to one embodiment of the present invention. The one or more user selectable elements may be executable when selected to perform at least a portion of the task within the application. For example, the one or more user selectable elements may comprise at least a portion of the recipe for performing the task within the application. The user selectable elements may take any of various forms, such as highlighted words, graphical icons, etc.
The user may then select a user selectable element within the on-line help information. In response to the user selecting a user selectable element, the application may perform at least a portion of the task within the application in response to this user input selecting the user selectable element within the on-line help information. Thus the user can perform a portion or all of a task by selecting an element or item directly from the on-line help information window. Thus the user is not required to manually search for the appropriate selection, such as a menu item or toolbar item, from within the application itself.
In one embodiment, when the user selects the user selectable element within the on-line help information to perform a task, in addition to the task or portion thereof being performed in response to this selection; the corresponding selection element within the application, e.g., the menu item or toolbar item, is highlighted or otherwise appears to show the user how to perform this functionality from within the application. Alternatively, the highlighting of the menu item or toolbar item to show the user how to perform this functionality from within the application may require the user to request to be shown how to perform this functionality from within the application (e.g., the user request being accepted through the user selection of a push-button labeled xe2x80x9cShow Mexe2x80x9d or through the user selection of some other icon or menu item displayed within a particular on-line help window that, when selected, moves the cursor to the area of the application that is described in the particular on-line help window).